Exemplary embodiments herein relate to a seat latch assembly for a vehicle seat, and more particularly, to a rapid retraction seat latch assembly configured to provide more clearance for interior trim of the vehicle as a seatback of the seat is moved between an upright, seated position and a stowed position where the seatback rests on a seat base.
A known seat in a vehicle typically includes a locking mechanism having a locking lever mounted to a seatback of the rear seat and engageable with a striker of the vehicle. A release mechanism having a release lever is engageable with the locking lever. A knob is connected to the release lever. Unlatching of the knob allows the release lever to move from a lock position to an unlock position to disengage the striker from the locking lever to allow the seatback to move from an upright, seated position to a folded, stowed position. Typically, when the locking lever is engaged with the striker, the knob is in a first position, and when the locking lever is disengaged from the striker, the knob is moved to a second position. Movement of the knob between the first and second positions is generally determined by distance of unlatching of the release lever between the lock position and unlocked position. Generally, the knob moves to the second position during rotation of the seatback to its stowed position. However, because the knob does not retract timely upon seatback rotation, the knob can interfere with or not provide enough clearance for the interior trim of the vehicle. Accordingly, to allow more clearance for interior vehicle trim, a rapidly retracting seat latch assembly is desired.